Elections 2018

Opinion

Russia Given No Data On Helicopters ‘Helping Terrorists’

Moscow’s envoy to Kabul has said no evidence on the origin of helicopters supposedly supporting Daesh in Afghanistan has been provided.

Moscow has not received any information from Western partners on the origin of helicopters that could be involved in transporting terrorists to Afghanistan, Russia’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Alexander Mantytsky told TASS news agency on Monday.

"Unfortunately, neither official Kabul nor our Western partners have been able to give any accurate and credible information on the origin and the goals of unidentified helicopters flying over the territory of the IRA [the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan] and possibly involved in transporting terrorists of the IS [Daesh] and the equipment they need," the Russian ambassador said.

TASS reported that the Russian diplomat stressed Russia has repeatedly raised the issue – also with UNAMA.

"We expect that the joint work with those countries that are sincerely interested in establishing peace and stability in the IRA will make it possible to expose those who are rendering support to terrorists," Mantytsky said.

"Such facts have to be exposed and cut short," he said.

TASS also reported Mantytsky as saying that broader powers for US forces in Afghanistan should not violate the country’s sovereignty and the region’s interests.

He said after a dramatic surge in insurgent activity in the region, "an impression is being created that the use-of-force pressure by the US in Afghanistan has not met the expectations that had been pinned on it."

"We expect that the broader powers for the US forces in Afghanistan will not violate the sovereignty of that country and will not infringe on the interests of the countries in the region," he pointed out.

The Russian envoy reconfirmed Moscow’s readiness to "render Kabul assistance in training and equipping national security and defense structures as the basic guarantor of security in Afghanistan and participating in the promotion of the national reconciliation process."

"We confirm our openness to cooperation in these areas both with the United States and other interested partners," he added.

TASS reported that the Russian ambassador expressed concern over "predominantly military nature of the US strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia."

"It is also regrettable that it fails to reflect properly the danger emanating from the Afghan wing of the Islamic State terrorist organization [Daesh], and the problem of Afghan narcotic drug production is fully ignored," Mantytsky stressed.

He said the growing anti-Russian rhetoric in Afghanistan is aimed at distracting global attention from mistakes on the part of the US and NATO in this region.

"Unfortunately, we are seeing a growing propaganda activity in Afghanistan directed against Russia and its policy in the region," he said.

Mantytsky said rejected all claims of Russia supporting the Taliban and said "a staged campaign to discredit our country" is behind these "absurd fabrications."

"This is being done not just to shift responsibility, but to distract attention from multiple mistakes made by the US and the NATO members in more than 16 years of their military presence in Afghanistan," Mantytskiy added.

Russia Given No Data On Helicopters ‘Helping Terrorists’

Moscow’s envoy to Kabul has said no evidence on the origin of helicopters supposedly supporting Daesh in Afghanistan has been provided.

Moscow has not received any information from Western partners on the origin of helicopters that could be involved in transporting terrorists to Afghanistan, Russia’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Alexander Mantytsky told TASS news agency on Monday.

"Unfortunately, neither official Kabul nor our Western partners have been able to give any accurate and credible information on the origin and the goals of unidentified helicopters flying over the territory of the IRA [the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan] and possibly involved in transporting terrorists of the IS [Daesh] and the equipment they need," the Russian ambassador said.

TASS reported that the Russian diplomat stressed Russia has repeatedly raised the issue – also with UNAMA.

"We expect that the joint work with those countries that are sincerely interested in establishing peace and stability in the IRA will make it possible to expose those who are rendering support to terrorists," Mantytsky said.

"Such facts have to be exposed and cut short," he said.

TASS also reported Mantytsky as saying that broader powers for US forces in Afghanistan should not violate the country’s sovereignty and the region’s interests.

He said after a dramatic surge in insurgent activity in the region, "an impression is being created that the use-of-force pressure by the US in Afghanistan has not met the expectations that had been pinned on it."

"We expect that the broader powers for the US forces in Afghanistan will not violate the sovereignty of that country and will not infringe on the interests of the countries in the region," he pointed out.

The Russian envoy reconfirmed Moscow’s readiness to "render Kabul assistance in training and equipping national security and defense structures as the basic guarantor of security in Afghanistan and participating in the promotion of the national reconciliation process."

"We confirm our openness to cooperation in these areas both with the United States and other interested partners," he added.

TASS reported that the Russian ambassador expressed concern over "predominantly military nature of the US strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia."

"It is also regrettable that it fails to reflect properly the danger emanating from the Afghan wing of the Islamic State terrorist organization [Daesh], and the problem of Afghan narcotic drug production is fully ignored," Mantytsky stressed.

He said the growing anti-Russian rhetoric in Afghanistan is aimed at distracting global attention from mistakes on the part of the US and NATO in this region.

"Unfortunately, we are seeing a growing propaganda activity in Afghanistan directed against Russia and its policy in the region," he said.

Mantytsky said rejected all claims of Russia supporting the Taliban and said "a staged campaign to discredit our country" is behind these "absurd fabrications."

"This is being done not just to shift responsibility, but to distract attention from multiple mistakes made by the US and the NATO members in more than 16 years of their military presence in Afghanistan," Mantytskiy added.